The Smuggled Cargo of the Schooner Teaser
A maritime scandal uncovers a illicit haul of dogfish oil and hides seized by federal authorities at the Seattle docks.
The story, cleaned up
A cleaned-up reading of the newspaper page: spelling and layout repaired, one story lifted off a crowded page. It follows the original closely but it is not a transcription. The original page is below; read it if a detail matters.
The United States of America has seized the schooner 'Teaser,' along with its cargo of 144 barrels of dogfish oil, 12 barrels of beef, 3 sacks of wool, 3 packages of salt hides, 3 packages of skins, 21 loose hides, and 16 sheep pelts, collectively valued at over $4,900. Authorities allege that on October 7, 1885, at Neah Bay, the crew unlawfully smuggled this cargo into the country, bypassing customs to avoid paying duties. The vessel's master, K.O. Yainn, and the Washington Fur Company are accused of knowingly transporting the contraband to Seattle. The court has scheduled a hearing for November 19, 1885, to settle the forfeiture of the ship and its goods.
“The said schooner Teaser... did unlawfully, fraudulently and knowingly, with intent to avoid payment of duty on said merchandise, and to defraud the United States, buy the said merchandise.”
This 1885 maritime smuggling case echoes the long history of Seattle’s waterfront as a nexus for illicit trade. Just as federal authorities cracked down on dogfish oil smugglers then, contemporary debates over port security and the regulation of global maritime trade continue to shape the city's economic and civic life.
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